President Buhari urges Nigerians to support measures to check virus

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians to support the surveillance and control measures adopted by the government to combat the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Mr Buhari during his first address to Nigerians on the coronavirus crisis said the government is committed to stopping the spread of the disease.

“Some of these measures will surely cause major inconveniences to many citizens. But these are sacrifices we should all be willing and ready to make for the greater good of our country,” he said.

Mr Buhari said the country has been preparing for the outbreak since the first signs that Covid-19 was turning into an epidemic and was officially declared a worldwide emergency.

He said the government had started planning preventive, containment and curative measures in the event the disease hit Nigeria.

He said the “whole instruments of government are mobilised to confront what has now become both a health emergency and an economic crisis,”.

The president assured Nigerians that the government is monitoring the situation across the world closely and studying the various responses adopted by other countries.

“Although we have adopted strategies used globally, our implementation programmes have been tailored to reflect our local realities,” he said.

He said the government will continue to rely on guidance of the medical professionals and experts at the Ministry of Health, NCDC and other relevant agencies through this difficult time.

In an effort to contain the spread of the virus, the government has also placed restrictions on movement in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja.

Mr Buhari said the country’s focus remains to urgently and drastically contain cases, and to support other states and regions the best way the country can.

He said as a nation, the response must be guided, systematic and professional.

“There is a need for consistency across the nation. All inconsistencies in policy guidelines between Federal and State agencies will be eliminated,” .

Nigeria reported its first confirmed case on February 27 and the number of cases has since risen

As of today, the country has reported 97 cases. The breakdown according to states shows that Lagos has recorded 59, FCT – 16; Oyo – seven, Ogun – three, Enugu, Edo, Bauchi, Osun has two cases each, while Ekiti Rivers, Benue and Kaduna have reported one each.

Meanwhile, one death has so far been reported from the outbreak.

Mr Buhari expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family in this very difficult time. We also pray for quick recovery for those infected and undergoing treatment,” he said.

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